Did you realise that the transition from full time work to some form of retirement is one of the major life changes that we have to handle. It’s right up there with getting married and having your first child. Yet most of us don’t do much planning for it. If you devote some time and effort into the following 5 challenges, the next 20 years will probably be a lot more fun.
MONEY. While we have all been told about the importance of getting our finances organised before we retire, many people still decide to “wing it”. I believe that a financial plan puts you in control of the next stage of your life and helps you to maximise your income and minimise your tax. That’s got to be an improvement on hoping for the best.
UNDERSTANDING WHAT RETIREMENT BRINGS. Your life after you leave work will be very different to the last 20 years. You’ll probably handle these a lot better if you know about them in advance. Our book “The Rest of Your Life” gives you a lot of useful information.
HAPPINESS. Long term happiness comes from within our minds, not from owning lots of stuff. It’s empowering to realise that we are in control of our own happiness and we can take certain steps which will help us to achieve a happier life. Dr. Tim Sharp’s book “The Happiness Handbook” is very useful.
RELATIONSHIPS. Retirement can be tough on relationships. It’s probably the first time in your relationship that you and your partner have been together 24/7, with no kids or jobs to focus on. Our book on relationships in later life offers some valuable information. It’s available on our Home Page.
HEALTH AND WELLBEING. While we can get away with punishing our bodies in our 20s and 30s, it’s not a clever idea when we’re over 50. We need to understand the importance of things like nutrition, exercise, fitness, a healthy lifestyle, regular medical checks etc. There are plenty of books on these issues in libraries and bookshops. You can also go to the Heart Foundation’s web site.
Your years after full time work can be some of the best in your life. Like anything that’s worth while achieving, they require a bit of work. Don’t just “go with the flow”. Take control of your life by giving some thought to the 5 challenges above.
Paul McKeon